#masterclass, an itinerant territorial format spin off of Travel Hashtag, stopped in the city of Udine on 30 and 31 May, on the occasion of the 2-day in-depth study on the theme of accessible and inclusive tourism, ‘Accessibility for Future’, organized in collaboration with Willeasy and the IO CI VADO association.
“In Udine, we tried to address a complex topic such as accessible and inclusive tourism by giving voice to professionals, entrepreneurs, associations and startups who contributed to the discussion with interesting ideas and a constructive approach – explains Nicola Romanelli, resident of Travel Hashtag – The most recurring words were training, network and above all opportunity. Business opportunity for a segment that deserves to be developed and managed as one of the main assets of the travel industry. But also an opportunity to develop an awareness that leads to approaching, at every level, the theme of inclusiveness as a cornerstone of the planning and management of spaces, initiatives and projects in the tourism sector”.
The initiative, sponsored by the Regional Council of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Municipality of Udine, Pordenone-Udine Chamber of Commerce, Confesercenti Udine, ANGLAT, FISH FVG (Italian Federation for Overcoming Handicaps), PromoTurismoFVG, Startup Association
Tourism, has developed in a “widespread” manner between training, information and discussion moments in different locations.
During the morning of May 30, at the Zanon auditorium, Nicola Romanelli and Zaira Magliozzi (co-founder of Nebula and content creator) spoke about “Skills and Professions of Tomorrow’s Tourism” in front of around a hundred children from schools and universities engaged in study courses linked to the promotion of the territory and hospitality. In closing, Annalisa Noacco (Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Willeasy) informed and then engaged the students on the topic and value of inclusiveness in tourism.
The entire day of May 31st, however, was marked by 2 talks at the Udine headquarters of the Pordenone-Udine Chamber of Commerce. Macro-theme ‘Accessibility and Inclusion: tourism for all’.
In the morning, Alessandra Priante (ENIT president), Alessia Del Bianco Rizzardo (PromoTurismoFVG Accessible Tourism Representative), Miguel Carrasco Hernández (Platform Director & Business Development Manager TUR4all and member of the European Network for Accessible
Tourism), Gianluca Galimberti (mayor of Cremona), Maria Cristina Schiratti (president of ANFFAS Udine and member of the board of directors of Inclusion Europe), Palmiro Noschese (president of Confassociazioni Turismo, Hospitality, Food & Beverage) and William Del Negro (president of Willeasy and founder of the association IO CI VADO) animated the meeting entitled ‘Inclusive tourism: fewer slogans, more opportunities’.
In the early afternoon, round table ‘Accessible tourism, the future has just begun: experts and companies in comparison’ with the
participation of Roberto Romeo (president of ANGLAT), Paolo Coppola (Associate Professor University of Udine, member of the Board of Technological Innovation and Digital Transformation Municipality of Milan), Concetta D’Emma (founder of Unconventional Hospitality), Giuliana Ganzini (Owner of ‘Hotel Suite Inn Udine) and Lisa Zancanaro (Forest Bathing therapist) and William Del Negro.
The Minister for Disability Alessandra Locatelli sent a message with which she wanted to highlight that “We need a concrete, widespread change of perspective that truly involves everyone: institutions, the private world and individual citizens. Designing and imagining any place and any event that we intend to create in a universally accessible and usable way is a great challenge and a responsibility that belongs to everyone.”
Alessandra Priante (ENIT) reporting from Rome: “Inclusion and accessibility are essential elements for any responsible and sustainable tourism policy. In particular, social sustainability is fundamental, with the involvement of local communities in a broader reception project.”
